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America Supports You: Group Sets Up White House T-Ball Trek

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2006  America Supports You member organization "Our Military Kids," a nonprofit group based here that's dedicated to funding essential extracurricular activities for children of deployed Reserve and National Guard military people, organized an outing for 30 children and 20 adults to attend T-Ball on the South Lawn of the White House on June 23.

A team member of the Dolcom Little League Indians from Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn., has his sight on the ball during the opening T-Ball game of the 2006 season on the South Lawn of the White House, June 23. President George W. Bush and first lady, Laura Bush, were joined by 30 children and 20 adults to view the game. Photo by Staff Sgt. D. Myles Cullen, USAF(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

America Supports You is a Defense Department program that spotlights corporate and public support for the nation's men and women in uniform.

The children - from Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia - all have parents deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and have received a grant award from Our Military Kids.

"We are very pleased the White House offered these tickets to Our Military Kids. The families were so appreciative and excited to visit the White House and see the president," said Linda Davidson, executive director of Our Military Kids. "We are grateful for the opportunity to honor and recognize these families in a small way for the sacrifices they have been asked to make while their loved one is serving our country."

The Our Military Kids families were invited as spectators to the baseball game played by the McGuire Air Force Base Little League Yankees from New Jersey and the Dolcom Little League Indians from Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn. After the game, they were treated to a picnic lunch served on the South Lawn of the White House.

President Bush warmly greeted each family, posing for photos and signing autographs. The president thanked the families and their loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan for their service to our country.

Organization officials said Our Military Kids wants to ensure school-age children of deployed and severely injured Reserve and National Guard military have the opportunity to participate in youth sports, fine arts and tutor programs without the expense of such programs creating a financial burden on a family that has already been asked to make sacrifices and accept new challenges.

Our Military Kids is funded by contributions from corporations, governments and individuals. Major corporate sponsors of the program have been General Dynamics; Northrop Grumman; Lockheed Martin; Boeing; the Freddie Mac Foundation; Rolls-Royce; Avpro; and the law firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer, and Feld.

The Little League Yankees from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., and the Dolcom Little League Indians from Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn., take the field during the opening T-Ball game of the 2006 season on the South Lawn of the White House, June 23. Photo by Staff Sgt. D. Myles Cullen, USAFDownload screen-resolutionDownload high-resolution